THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


OR, 


THE  LITTLE  PEAOE-MAKEB. 


BY  MRS.  MADELINE  LESLIE. 


"  Blessed  are  the  peace-makers ;  for  they  shall  be  called  the 
children  of  God."    MATTHEW  5 :  9. 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED    BY     A.     F,    GRAVES, 
20  CORNHILL. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1868,  by 
KEV,  A.  K.  BAKER, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of 
Massachusetts. 


J.  E.  FAEWBLL  &  Co., 

37  Congress  Street. 


Ca 

FRANK  RANDALL,  RDTH,  MAY,  RANDOLPH  MORGAN, 
AND  JAMES  WALDINGFIELD, 


CHILDREN  OF 

D.  F.  APPLETON,  ESQ.,  NEW  YORK, 

THESE  "BIBLE  FEABLS  "  ABE  AFFECTIONATELY  nT 
BY  THE  AUTHOB. 


. 

LIBRARY 


MES.    LESLIE'S 

PEARL   SERIES. 
for 


VOL.      I.  THE  PEARL  OF  FAITH. 
"      II.       "        "       "   DILIGENCE. 
"     III.       "        "       "    MEEKNESS. 
"     1^.       "        "       *'    FORGIVENESS. 
"       V.       "        "       •'    CONTENTMENT. 
"     VI.       "        "       "   PEACE. 


MES.    LESLIE'S 

PEARL   SERIES, 
for 

TOL.      I.  THE  PEARL  OF  LOVE. 

"      II.  "        "       "   CHARITY. 

"    III.  "         "       "  OBEDIENCE. 

"     IV.  "        "       "  PENITENCE. 

"      V.  "        "       "  HOPE. 

"    VI.  "        "       "   PATIENCE. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  L 
THE  QUARREL,    .....         11 

CHAPTER   11. 
SALLIE'S  HOME  TROUBLES,    .        .        .        22 

CHAPTER  III. 
HATTY'S  PEACEFUL  HOME,     ...        34 

CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  PEACE-  MAKER,      ....        46 

g 

CHAPTER   V. 
MATILDA'S  CONSCIENCE,        ...        59 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VL 
THE  QUARREL  SETTLED,        ...        72 

CHAPTER  VII. 
THE  SICK  GIRL,          ....         86 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
THE  PEACEFUL  DEATH,        .        .        .102 


CHAPTEE  I. 

THE      QUARREL. 

HE'S   the  meanest  girl  I  ever 
saw !     If  she  is  my  cousin,  111 
say  so.     I  wont  speak  to  her 
again  this  term  ;  see  if  I  do  ! " 
Sallie   Munson  was  greatly   excit- 
ed,   and  walked  in  quick  jerks   by 
the  side  of  her  companion. 


12  THE   PEARL    OF   PEACE. 

Matilda  had  been  repeating 
to  her,  with  some  exaggera- 
tion, the  remarks  of  Cynthia  Man- 
ning, concerning  her  dress ;  but 
Matilda  did  not  expect  or  intend 
to  excite  so  much  anger,  and 
was  almost  frightened  at  Sallie's 
warmth. 

"  What  are  you  talking  about  1 " 
called  a  cheerful  voice  from  behind. 
"I've  been  running  my  breath  all 
away,  trying  to  catch  you;  but  I 
couldn't  make  you  hear  my  call;  I 
could  only  see  Sallie  gesturing 


THE    QUARREL.  13 

away,  as  if  she  were  practising 
her  exhibition  piece/' 

Matilda  had  only  time  to  whis- 
per hurriedly,  "  Don't  tell  her  a 
word  of  what  I  said,"  when  Harriet 
Maynard  joined  them. 

One  glance  into  her  good- 
humored,  serene  face>  would  have 
i  • 

put  Sallie's  anger  to  flight,  if  it 
had  not  been  for  a  sly  pinch  Ma- 
tilda gave  her  arm. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  the  brook 
took  so  lovely,  girls?  I  should 
have  overtaken  you  sooner,  only 


1".  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

that  I  stopped  at  the  bridge  to 
see  the  water  dash  over  Montworth 
Falls,  as  I  have  named  that  pretty 
cascade.  I  threw  in  a  piece  of 
wood,  and  over  it  went  among  the 
foam  just  like  that  boat  we  read 
of,  over  Niagara." 

She  rattled  away  in  a  gay  tone, 
looking  as  smiling  as  a  May 
Queen ;  but  at  last  she  could  not 
help  noticing  that  neither  of  her 
companions  were  in  good  humor. 

"  Why,  what's  the  matter,  Sallie  1 " 
she  asked,  affectionately.  "  You 


THE    QUARREL.  15 

look  as  if  you  were  in  a  high 
fever,  and  Matilda,  too,  is  as  sol- 
emn as  a  church.  What  is  it?  " 

There  was  no  answer ;  and,  pres- 
ently, a  shadow  crept  over  Hatty's 
smiling  countenance. 

"  Sallie,  Matilda,"  she  exclaimed, 
eagerly,  "  you  must  tell.  Have  I 
done  anything?  Have  I  hurt  your 
feelings  ? " 

"No;  oh,  no,  indeed!"  answered 
Sallie,  turning  quickly  to  her 
friend.  "  It's  nothing  that  you 
have  anything  to  do  with."  She 


16  THE    PEARL    OF     PEACE. 

cast  a  quick  glance  down  at  her 
own  dress,  eager  to  know  whether 
Hatty  had  also  condemned  it  as 
low  and  vulgar ;  but  her  friend 
said,  still  more  earnestly, — 

"Tell  me  all  about  it,  can't 
you  I  Do  you  know  I  begin  to  be 
jealous  of  Matilda]  You  have 
told  her  all  your  troubles." 

"  No,  indeed  !  Matilda  told  me, — 
I"— 

There  was  another  pinch  of  the 
arm,  and  she  stopped  suddenly. 

"Well,    good-bye,    then;    I.  wish 


THE     QUARREL.  17 

you  were  going  my  way :  but  I 
have  the  brook  for  company." 

Then  she  laughingly  waved  her 
adieu,  calling  out  after  they 
were  at  some  distance,  "  I've  fin- 
ished all  those  hard  sums." 

"  What  a  girl  Hatty  is,"  ex- 
claimed Sallie.  "  I  wish  I  were  al- 
ways as  happy  as  she  is.  I  don't 
believe  she  ever  cried  in  her  life." 

"Yes,  she's  gay,"  answered  Ma- 
tilda, "  and  good  company ;  but 
still  I  do  like  people  that  have 
some  feeling.  She  laughs  a  good 


• 

18  THE    PEARL    OF     PEACE. 

deal.  She  knows  that's  her  best 
look.  She's  awful  proud  of  her 
white  teeth." 

"  Now,  Matilda,  that's  too  bad ! 
I  don't  believe  she  ever  thinks  of 
that  in  all  her  life.  She  laughs 
because  she's  happy;  and,  as  for 
feeling,  I  think  she  has  more  than 
any  of  us.  She's  the  best  friend  I 
have,  any  way.  I  never  get  an- 
gry when  I'm  with  her." 

"  I  didn't  mean  to  say  a  word 
against  her,  I'm  sure.  I  like  her 
first-rate." 


THE     QUARREL.  19 

"  Well,  I  shouldn't  think  you 
liked  me  first-rate,  if  I  heard  that 
you  called  me  unfeeling  and 
proud." 

Sallie  drew  her  arm  from  her 
companion,  and  walked  on  by  her- 
self in  a  dignified  manner.  Before 
long,  Matilda  reached  her  own 
home,  and,  with  a  pleasant  good- 
bye, ran  inside  the  gate. 

When  Sallie  was  left  to  her 
own  reflections,  her  face  grew 
more  flushed  and  serious  than  ever. 
She  was  very  angry  with  her 


20  THE    PEARL   OF    PEACE. 

cousin  Cynthia,  for  criticizing  her 
dress.  She  was  angry  with  her 
mother,  for  obliging  her  to  wear 
a  gown  that  looked  as  if  it  came 
out  of  the  ark.  She  was  angry 
with  Matilda  for  repeating  her 
cousin's  ill-natured  remarks ;  and 
she  was  angry  with  herself  for 
listening  to  them.  It  was  only 
when  she  thought  of  Hatty,  sweet 
Hatty  Maynard,  with  her  gay  tone 
and  pleasant,  placid  smile,  that  her 
forehead  relaxed  from  the  deep 
frown  which  had  gathered  upon  it. 


THE    QUARREL.  21 

"  I  wonder,"  she  said  to  herself, 
"  why  Hatty  is  so  much  happier 
than  anybody  else  I  know.  She's 
real  poor,  and  has  to  wait  on  that 
cross  old  uncle,  and  her  deformed 
sister;  she  dresses  old-fashioned, 
too ;  only  she  never  seems  to  care. 
When  she  has  on  anything  odd, 
she  just  laughs  the  more,  and  says, 
gayly,— 

" '  You  know  my  dressmaker 
doesn't  visit  the  city  often.'  Well, 
I  suppose  it's  her  way,  and  I  wish 
'twas  my  way,  too." 


CHAPTER  H. 

SALLIE'S  HOME  TROUBLES. 

HALLIE  MUNSON  was   the 

daughter  of  a  man  who 
had  sailed  as  Captain  of  a 
schooner,  bound  for  the  West 
Indies,  more  than  five  years  before 
the  date  of  our  story.  He  left  a 
wife  and  seven  children,  of  whom 
Sallie  was  the  youngest,  and  the 
only  daughter.  At  the  time  he 

(22) 


SALLIE'S  HOME  TROUBLES.       23 

left    home   she   was  just    past    six, 
and   was   therefore   now   eleven. 

Five  long,  weary,  waiting  years 
of  watching,  suspense  and  anxiety, 
had  left  Mrs.  Munson  careworn 
and  old  before  her  time.  Her 
eldest  son  was  married  and  set- 
tled at  a  distance ;  the  second  had 
gone  with  his  father  as  a  sailor; 
the  sixth  boy,  her  darling,  blue- 
eyed  Jamie,  was  buried  at  the  end 
of  her  little  garden;  leaving  four 
children  dependant  on  her  labor 
for  their  support.  To  be  sure, 


24  THE    PEARL   OF    PEACE. 

Abner,  the  oldest  at  home,  was 
nearly  seventeen;  but  though  steady 
and  honest,  he  lacked  energy  and 
thrift.  When  away  from  home  he 
was  the  butt  and  laughing-stock  of 
his  more  shrewd  companions ;  and 
so  his  patient  mother  obtained 
what  employment  she  could  for 
him,  under  her  own  eye,  and  sent 
his  brother  Joseph,  a  stout,  fun- 
loving  lad  of  fifteen,  to  work  in  a 
neighboring  tan  yard. 

Edward  and  Sallie  went  to  school 
during    the   short   sessions   both    in 


SALLIE'S  HOME  TROUBLES.        25 

summer  and  winter,  though  the 
care  and  pains  it  cost  their  mother 
to  fit  them  out  in  clothes  and 
books,  I  can  hardly  describe. 

Once  a  year  Mrs.  Barnes,  the 
Captain's  sister,  came  to  the  sea- 
shore to  spend  a  few  days,  and 
always  brought  with  her  a  bundle 
of  half-worn  clothes,  out  of  which 
the  widow  made  useful,  if  not 
fashionable,  garments  for  her  fam- 
ily. 

It  was  shortly  after  one  of  these 
visits,  that  Sallie  wore  to  school  a 


26  THE   PEARL   OF    PEACE. 

dress,  made  from  one  given  her 
by  her  aunt.  It  was  a  bright 
plaid,  and  with  great  pains  had 
been  made  to  fit  her  neatly. 
Whether  the  boddice  and  sleeves 
were  in  the  prevailing  mode,  she 
was  ignorant,  until  informed  by  her 
school-mate,  Matilda. 

This  young  girl  had  some  good 
traits  of  character.  She  was  dili- 
gent in  her  studies,  and  prompt 
in  obliging  a  friend.  But  she  had 
one  terrible  failing ;  a  love  of  gos- 
sip or  mischief-making,  which  ren- 


SALLIE'S  HOME   TROUBLES.        27 

dered  her  dangerous  to  the  peace 
of  those  with  whom  she  asso- 
ciated. 

This  habit  often  led  her  much 
farther  than  she  anticipated,  and 
betrayed  her  into  sundry  exagge- 
rations which  she  sometimes  keen- 
ly regretted. 

At  recess,  Cynthia  Manning  re- 
fused to  lend  a  new  book  to  Ma- 
tilda; and  to  show  her  spite,  she 
determined  to  make  a  quarrel  be- 
tween the  cousins.  The  two  girls 
lived  not  far  apart,  and  usually 


28  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

walked  home  together  in  company 
with  Hatty. 

This  time  Matilda  hurried  her 
friend  along,  and  began  at  once 
to  say : 

".It's  strange  you  can't  have  any- 
thing new,  without  Cynthia  being 
so  envious.  Just  because  you've 
got  a  handsome  new  gown,  she's 
so  mad,  she  can't  say  enough 
against  it.  She  made  all  manner 
of  fun  of  it  behind  your  back, 
and  called  it  real  dowdy.  '  I  do 
declare,'  she  said,  tossing  back  her 


SALLIE'S  HOME   TROUBLES.       29 

head,  'for  all  Sallie  is  so  set  up 
with  her  new  dress,  I  wouldn't 
be  seen  wearing  such  a  vulgar- 
looking  thing.'  " 

This  was  what  had  made  Sallie 
exclaim  in  anger  against  her 
cousin.  The  reason  Matilda  was 
unwilling  her  companion  should 
explain  why  she  looked  feverish, 
was  because  she  well  knew  Hat- 
ty's character  as  a  peace-maker; 
and  her  conscience  loudly  whis- 
pered that  she  had  told  much 
more  than  was  true. 


30  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

After  the  girls  parted,  and  she 
went  into  her  own  home,  do  you 
think  she  was  happy  ?  Are  quar- 
relsome people  generally  so  ?  We 
shall  see 

Matilda  was  the  eldest  of  five 
children.  The  baby,  as  Master 
Tom,  a  sturdy  little  fellow  of  two 
years  was  called,  was  playing  near 
the  steps  as  she  walked  up  the 
path  from  the  gate.  He  gave  a 
shout  of  welcome  ;  but  she  pushed 
over  his  pile  of  stones  with  her 
foot,  laughed  at  his  cry  of  disap- 


SALLIE'S  HOME   TROUBLES.        31 

• 

pointment,  and  opened  the  door, 
with  a  frown  on  her  face. 

It  was  Wednesday ;  and  the 
afternoon  was  a  holiday.  She  felt 
quite  sure  there  would  be  no  play 
for  her,  and  was  resolved  to  show 
her  displeasure  at  once. 

She  threw  her  pile  of  books  into 
a  chair,  tossed  her  hat  on  another, 
and,  passing  through  the  common 

sitting-room,   asked   in    a    complain- 

• 

mg   tone. — 

"  Isn't   dinner  most  ready  I " 

"  Oh,  Matilda !  "   said  her  mother, 


6  THE    PEARL    OF     PEACE. 

• 

"  you're  just  in  time ;  rim  back  as 
quick  as  you  can  to  the  store,  and 
ask  Mr.  Pratt  to  cut  you  a  thick 
slice  of  ham.  Your  father  will  be 
home  in  ten  minutes,  and  be  angry 
if  dinner  isn't  ready.  There,  catch 
up  your  hat,  and  run  quick." 

"  It's  always  the  way,"  pouted 
Matilda,  snatching  the  plate  her 
mother  held  toward  her.  "  I 
wanted  to  eat  my  dinner,  and  go 
nutting;  but  I  never  can  do  any 
thing." 

She   did  not  hurry  in  the   least; 


SALLIE'S  HOME  TROUBLES.        33 

but,  just  outside  the  gate,  met  her 
two  brothers,  who  were  quarrel- 
ing about  a  jack-knife,  one  of  them 
had  found. 

Instead  of  trying  to  make  peace, 
she  entered  into  the  quarrel,  and 
soon  had  both  of  them  railing  at 
her. 

When  her  father  came  from  his 
toil,  hungry  and  impatient  for  his 
dinner,  his  wife  was  fretting;  and 
his  daughter  nowhere  in  sight. 


CHAPTER    m. 

HATTY'S  PEACEFUL  HOME. 

j]OW,  let  us  follow  Hatty  as 
she  ran  gayly  up  the  narrow 
lane  toward  her  humble 
home.  The  brook,  she 
loved  so  well,  tumbled  on  over 
the  stones  and  pebbles  at  her 
side,  dancing  and  sparkling  in  the 
sunlight,  as  happy  as  she. 

"  Oh,  how   pretty  these    everlast- 

(34) 


HATTY'S  PEACEFUL   HOME.        35 

ings  are ! "  she  said  to  herself, 
stopping  to  take  a  nearer  view  of 
the  late  fall  flowers ;  and  there's 
dear  Esther  sitting  at  her  sewing. 

"Am  I  late?"  she  asked,  run- 
ning into  their  one  room,  which 
served  for  parlor,  sitting-room  and 
kitchen. 

"  Oh,   no,  dear  !  " 

There  was  an  affectionate  kiss 
between  the  two  sisters,  and  then 
Hatty,  after  hanging  up  her  school 
hat  and  sack,  laid  some  fresh 
sticks  into  the  stove,  filled  the 


36  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

tea-kettle,  and  put  some  potatoes 
already  washed  into  the  oven  to 
bake.  Then  she  proceeded  to  lay 
on  a  cloth  very  coarse,  but  white 
as  snow ;  and  to  set  out  the  com- 
mon plates  they  used,  her  tongue 
running  merrily  all  the  while. 

"  Oh,  Esther !  I  wish  you  could 
see  Montworth  Falls.  The  water 
foams,  and  dashes,  and  sparkles 
so  beautifully,  I  stood  a  moment 
to  look  at  it;  and  then  I  had  to 
run  to  catch  the  girls." 

Esther     smiled;    a   patient,    calm 


HATTY'S  PEACEFUL  HOME.        37 

face  her's  was,  almost  always 
lighted  with  that  trusting,  placid 
smile. 

"  I  can  see  it,"  she  answered, 
"  almost  as  well  as  if  I  were 
there.  You  are  my  eyes,  you 
know." 

"  Oh,  sister ! "  Hatty  went  on, 
after  bringing  from  the  cellar  a 
dish  of  cold  meat  and  a  plate  of 
large  cucumber  pickles,  "  the  girls 
are  going  nutting.  Do  you  sup- 
pose I  could  go  1  Ethel  Frost 
says  chestnuts  and  shagbarks  are 


38'*  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

ever  so  thick.  There's  one  rea- 
son, specially,  why  I  want  to  go 
to-day." 

Esther   quite    laughed    this   time. 

"  You  know  I  tell  you  every- 
thing," Hatty  went  on,  her  face 
growing  a  little  anxious.  "  Sallie 
Munson  is  in  trouble.  I  want  to 
make  her  feel  better;  and  I  guess 
I  can." 

"  Well,  my  dear  peace-maker, 
you  can  go  as  well  as  not.  You 
know  uncle  Oliver  likes  nuts  in 
winter.  They  remind  him  of  old 


HATTY'S  PEACEFUL   HOME.        39 

times.  You'd  better  carry  them 
up  stairs  and  dry  them,  and  then 
give  him  a  pleasant  surprise." 

"  So  I  will !  " 

Hatty  peeped  into  the  oven  to 
see  how  the  potatoes  were  coming 
on,  singing  a  line  of  her  favorite 
hymn :  — 

"  Oh  how  happy  are  they 
Who  their  Saviour  obey, 
And  have  laid  up  their  treasure  above, 

No  tongue  can  express, 

i* 
The  sweet  comfort  and  peace, 

Of  a  soul  in  its   earliest  love." 


40  THE   PEARL   OF   PEACE. 

Just  as  the  tea  was  drawn 
(uncle  Oliver  was  as  set  in  his 
way  as  an  old  smoker,  and  de- 
clared that  he  couldn't  live  with- 
out tea  with  every  meal),  the  old 
man  made  his  appearance.  He 
was  bent  a  good  deal  with  rheu- 
matism ;  his  face  was  wrinkled, 
and  his  hair  grew  low  down  on 
his  forehead.  His  shaggy  eye- 
brows nearly  met  over  his  nose, 
and  his  deep  grey  eyes  looked 
cold  to  a  stranger,  but,  notwith- 
standing all  this,  his  nieces  loved 


HATTY'S  PEACEFUL  HOME.        41 

him.  Years  ago  when  his  only 
sister,  who  was  their  mother,  died, 
he  promised  her,  that  as  well  as 
he  knew  how,  he  would  be  a 
father  to  her  daughters ;  and  faith- 
fully had  he  kept  his  word. 

He  had  only  a  little  money;  but 
that  little  was  freely  given  for 
their  necessities.  When  they  first 
came  to  live  with  him,  people 
called  him  hard  and  crusty,  an 
odd  stick;  but  Esther  and  Hatty 
had  crept  into  his  heart  and  made 
it  soft  and  tender. 


42  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

For  their  mother's  sake  he  had 
allowed  Hatty  to  attend  church 
and  Sabbath  school ;  and  in  this 
way  a  blessing  had  come  home  to 
all  of  them.  Hatty  was  not  only 
eyes  to  her  deformed  sister,  and 
described  to  her  the  beauties  of 
nature  which  she  seldom  saw  her- 
self, but  she  was  ears  to  both 
of  them.  Every  word  she  could 
remember  of  the  Sunday  teach- 
ings was  stored  to  be  repeated 
at  home ;  and  thus  both  the  old 
man  and  his  deformed  niece  had 


HATTY'S  PEACEFUL  HOME.        43 

learned  to  love  the  sacred  truths 
of  the  Bible.  Indeed  a  blessed 
peace  had  settled  on  the  whole 
household,  a  peace  and  content- 
ment at  which  many  of  their 
neighbors  wondered. 

When  Hatty  heard  her  uncle's 
step,  she  ran  to  the  door  to  wel- 
come him.  If  he  had  been  the 
handsomest  man  in  America,  she 
couldn't  have  looked  more  loving- 
ly in  his  face.  She  playfully  took 
off  his  hat,  hung  it  on  its  hook, 
and  then  seated  him  at  the  table. 


44  THE    PEARL    OF   PEACE. 

"  Come,  Esther,"  she  exclaimed, 
"  dinner's  ready ;  and  here's  your 
chair." 

It  was  -no  wonder  uncle  Oliver 
smiled  as  he  watched  her  flitting 
about,  first  to  lay  Esther's  work  on 
a  small  table  away  from  harm, 
then  to  push  up  her  chair  before 
her  plate,  snatching  a  kiss  for  her 
pains,  and  last  seating  herself  de- 
murely while  the  old  man  said 
grace.  It  was  no  wonder  at  all 
that  he  asked  God  to  bless  every 
one  of  them,  and  continue  life  and 


HATTY'S  PEACEFUL   HOME.  45 

health    to    the    child    who    was  the 

joy  of  their   hearts  as  well   as  the 
delight   of  their   eyes. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


THE     PEACE-MAKER. 


jjATTY  had  a  special  reason 
for  hurrying  through  her 
after-dinner  work.  She  did 
not  think  it  right  to  tell 
even  Esther  that  her  school-mate 
had  tried  to  make  hard  feeling  be- 
tween cousins  ;  but  she  did  tell  her 
heavenly  Father,  and  asked  his 
blessing  on  her  effort  to  make 
peace  between  them. 


THE    PEACE-MAKER.  47' 

Then  with  a  parting  kiss  to  Es- 
ther, who  sat  patiently  at  her  sew- 
ing, she  ran  off  to  call  for  Sallie 
before  Matilda  joined  the  party. 

"  I've  come  begging,"  she  said, 
laughing  gayly,  as  she  found  her 
friend  lingering  over  her  afternoon 
task  of  picking  beans  for  her 
mother  to  bake.  "  Here,  let  me 
help  you;  and  I'll  tell  you  what 
I  want.  You  and  I  are  just  the 
same  size ;  and  I  admired  your 
new  dress  so  much  I'm  going  to 
get  Esther  to  cut  mine  just  like 


48  THE   PEARL    OF   PEACE. 

it.  I  want  you  to  wear  it  over  to 
our  house,  and  let  her  see  it; 
and  then  I  can  try  it  on.  If  it 
does  fit  me,  and  I'm  sure  it  will, 
I  can  borrow  your  mother's  pat- 
tern, and  that  will  make  it  so  easy 
for  Esther,  you  know." 

Sallie's  cheeks  grew  crimson. 
She  thought  at  first  that  Hatty 
must  be  joking.  She  had  begun 
to  hate  that  dress,  but  then,  if 
Hatty  liked  it,  it  must  be  pretty, 
for  every  one  in  school  acknowl- 
edged Hatty's  good  taste. 


THE    PEACE-MAKER.  49 

She  sat  thinking  of  this,  while 
her  friend  took  up  handful  after 
handful  of  beans,  and  put  them 
into  the  pan. 

"  I'm  going  to  try,  and  make  it 
all  myself,"  she  went  on  gayly. 
"I  am  old  enough  now ;  and  Es- 
ther has  so  much  to  do." 

"  Mother  will  lend  you  her  pat- 
tern," answered  Sallie,  "  but  now 
really,  Hatty,  do  you  like  my 
dress  ? " 

"  Yes,  indeed  ;  or  I  wouldn't 
wish  mine  like  it ;  and  I  heard 


50  THE   PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

ever  so  many  of  the  girls  say  how 
prettily  it  looked.  Cynthia  said 
those  bright  colors  were  very  be- 
coming, you're  so  pale,  you  know." 
"Cynthia!  did  she  say  that?" 
"  Yes,  she  didn't  like  the  tight 
sleeves  at  first ;  but  I  told  her  I 
did ;  and  besides  it's  the  fashion. 
You  know,"  she  added  with  a 
merry  laugh,  "  when  the  fashion 
is  a  sensible  one,  we  ought  to 
follow  it." 

"But    Hatty,  Matilda    says,    Cyn- 
thia     talked     horridly     about     my 


THE    PEACE-MAKER.  51 

dress.  I  got  awfully  angry  about 
it,  and  said  I  wouldn't  speak  to 
her  again  this  term." 

"  Oh,    Sallie  !    that  would  be  un- 

• 

kind  and  unforgiving,  even  if  she 
had  done  all  that  Matilda  says ; 
but  I  do  really  think,  Matilda  is 
mistaken ;  I  heard  Cynthia  praise 
the  dress  myself." 

"  No,  she  was  not  mistaken," 
cried  Sallie  in  great  excitement. 
"  She  meant  to  make  a  fuss. 
She's  always  trying  to  get  people 
into  a  quarrel.  There,  the  beans 


52  THE   PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

are  done ;  and  I'm  going  right  to 
her  house  to  tell  her  I've  found 
her  out ;  and  I  want  nothing  more 

to  do   with  her." 

• 

4  But  Sallie,  it's  time  we  were 
going  to  the  grove.  The  best  nuts 
will  all  be  gone ;  and  I  want  to 
get  good  ones  for  uncle  Oliver." 

"  Come  on,  then,  I'm  ready. 
Mother,  is  Edward  going  with 
us?" 

"He's  been  gone  with  Ethel  for 
an  hour.  He  has  a  chance  to  sell 
a  bushel,  if  he  can  pick  them." 


THE    PEACE-MAKER.  53 

"  I  hope  Matilda  wont  be  there," 
said  Sallie.  "  If  she  is,  I  sha'n't 
speak  to  her." 

"  I  shall,"  added  Hatty  in  a  de- 
cided tone  ;  "  because,  though  I'm 
afraid  she's  done  wrong,  I  don't 
think  that  would  be  the  way  to 
cure  her,  I  think  it  would  be  best 
to  let  her  see  that  we  all  love 
•each  other  too  well  to  allow  a  few 
hasty  words  to  make  us  quarrel." 

"  I  hate  people  who  are  always 
making  a  fuss." 

Hatty   laughed.      "Matilda    can't 


54  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

make  a  fuss  with  me,"  she  said, 
showing  all  her  white  teeth. 

"  She  tried  to,"  answered  Sallie. 
"  She  called  you  proud,  and  said 
you  laughed  to  show  your  hand- 
some teeth ;  but  I  wouldn't  hear 
you  talked  against;  and  I  told  her 
so.  After  that  she  shut  her  mouth 
pretty  quick." 

"  I'm  afraid  I  do  laugh  too 
much,"  said  Hatty,  blushing  crim- 
son;  "but  I'm  so  happy,  I  can't 
help  it.  I  hope  I'm  not  proud, 
though  I  try  to  be  thankful." 


THE    PEACE-MAKER.  55 

"  You're  the  dearest  girl  in 
the  world,"  exclaimed  Sallie,  put- 
ting her  arms  tightly  around  her 

friend's  neck.     "If  it    hadn't    been 

• 

for  you,  I  should  have  had  a 
quarrel  with  Cynthia ;  and  mother 
would  have  worried  awfully  about 
it,  for  we're  own  cousins,  you 
know." 

"  Well,  dear  Sallie,  for  my  sake, 
forgive  Matilda  too.  She  was  to 
blame  for  what  she  said ;  but  we 
must  pity  her.  I  don't  think 
Matilda  is  very  happy." 


56  THE   PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

Sallie  shook  her  head,  but  pres- 
ently asked, — 

"  What  makes  you  always  want 
people  to  forgive  I  I  don't  see 
how  it  will  make  you  any  hap- 
pier." 

"  Oh,  yes  indeed  it  will !  It 
seems  dreadful  to  me  to  see  two 
school-mates  feeling  unkindly  to 
each  other ;  and  then,  you  know," 
she  added  with  a  deeper  blush, 
who  has  said,  " c  Be  of  one  mind, 
live  in  peace,  and  the  God  of 
love  and  peace  shall  be  with 


THE     PEACE-MAKER.  57 

you  ; '  don't  you  remember  what  a 
blessing  is  promised  to  the  peace- 
makers 1 " 

"No,   I   don't/' 

"  Why,  Sallie !  The  minister 
preached  about  it  last  winter.  I 
remembered  ever  so  much  *of  the 
sermon  for  uncle  Oliver  and 
Esther.  You  know  I  have  to 
preach  it  over  again  to  them. 
Esther  says,  she  thinks  it's  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  verses  in 
the  Bible:" 

"  Blessed    are    the  peace-makers  ; 


58  THE    PEARL    OF   PEACE. 

for  they  shall  be  called  the  chil- 
dren of  God." 

Sallie  remained  silent  for  a  few 
moments.  When  they  came  in 
sight  of  the  grove,  she  caught  her 
friend's  hand  and  said  earnestly, — 

"  Oh,  Hatty !  I  wish  I  were  like 
you,  and  could  claim  that  promise. 
I  see  now  why  you're  always  so 
happy.  You  —  " 

" '  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect 
peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on 
thee,' "  added  her  companion,  with 
a  reverent  glance  upward. 


CHAPTEK    V. 

MATILDA'S  CONSCIENCE. 

flATILDA  did  not  make  her 
appearance  in  the  grove. 
Her  father  was  so  angry  at 
her  tardiness  in  bringing 
the  ham  for  his  dinner  that  he  for- 
bade her  the  pleasure.  She  passed 
the  afternoon  in  a  very  unhappy 
state  of  mind,  continually  quar- 
relling with  her  brothers  and  sis- 

(59) 


60  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

ters,  and  stirring  up  strife  in  the 
whole  household. 

From  her  chamber  window  she 
saw  Hatty  and  Sallie  walk  on,  arm 
in  arm,  swinging  their  baskets ; 
and  conscience  whispered,  —  "  They 
will  talk  of  you,  and  you  have  no 
one  but  yourself  to  blame  for  all 
your  wretchedness." 

Disgusted  with  herself,  she  still 
sat  gazing  from  the  window,  when 
serious  thoughts  began  to  arise. 

"  Why  can't  I  be  happy  ? "  she 
askeoT  herself.  "  I  have  a  better 


MATILDA'S   CONSCIENCE.          61 

home  than  either  of  those  girls. 
That  is,  the  rooms  look  better, 
and  father  has  more  money.  But 
things  never  go  right.  Mother 
always  wants  errands  done  so 
quick ;  and  father  gets  angry  and 
cross ;  and  the  boys  are  so 
touchy,"  — 

"  And  Matilda,  the  eldest  daugh- 
ter is  worse  than  all  the  rest; 
for  she  might  be  a  help  to  her 
mother,  a  comfort  to  her  father, 
and  an  example  of  love  and  peace 
to  the  whole  family." 


62  THE   PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

This  was  what  conscience  said ; 
and  conscience  this  time  was  deter- 
mined to  be  heard. 

;'  You  hate  yourself  now,"  the 
inward  monitor  went  on,  "  but  not 
so  badly  as  you  will  by  and  by. 
Every  day  that  you  indulge  in 
these  evil  passions,  you  will  grow 
worse  and  worse.  Try  to  reform. 
Begin  to-day,  and  take  this  verse 
for  your  motto :  '  If  it  be  pos- 
sible, as  much  as  lieth  in  you,  live 
peacably  with  all  men.'  " 

"  That  is  Hatty's  rule,"  exclaimed 


MATILDA'S  CONSCIENCE.          63 

Matilda,  starting  from  her  seat. 
"  I'll  try  it.  I'm  sorry  now,  1 
told  Sallie  that  Cynthia  didn't 
like  her  dress.  I'm  afraid  there'll 
be  a  fuss  about  that.  Sallie  wont 
speak;  and  her  cousin  will  find 
out  what  I  said,  and  then  the 
blame  will  all  come  on  me." 

"  Where  it  belongs,"  urged  Con- 
science again. 

"Well,  I'll  never  tell  tales 
again;  that  is,  if  I  can  help  it. 
I  mean  to  try  and  be  like  Hatty. 
Father  and  mother  will  wonder 


64  THE    PEARL    OF   PEACE. 

what  has  come  over  me;  I  wish 
I  knew  what  I  ought  to  do 
first." 

Already  she  felt  happier  than 
for  a  long  time.  She  ran  down 
to  the  sink,  bathed  her  face  and 
eyes ;  then  back  to  her  room  and 
combed  her  hair,  confining  it  in 
her  net,  after  which  she  joined  her 
mother  in  the  sitting-room. 

"Where's  that  little  apron,"  she 
began,  "  that  you  cut  out  yester- 
day1? I'm  going  to  make  it." 

Mrs.   Manning   glanced  up    from 


MATILDA'S   CONSCIENCE.          65 

her  work  in  surprise.  "What  has 
happened  ? "  she  asked  herself ;  but 
she  smilingly  directed  her  daugh- 
ter where  she  might  find  the 
apron. 

Before  her  needle  was  threaded, 
baby  Tom  fell  from  the  steps  and 
began  to  scream  with  all  his 
might. 

Mrs.  Manning  started  up,  letting 
her  sewing  fall  to  the  floor.  "I 
sha'n't  sew  a  stitch  at  this  rate," 
began  Matilda  impatiently ;  but 
recovering  herself,  she  exclaimed,-2- 


66  THE    PEARL    OF   PEACE. 

"  Come  here,  Tommy.  I'll  show 
you  the  bossy ;  "  and  they  trotted 
off  together  to  the  barn. 

The  other  boys  were  there  play- 
ing in  the  hay,  and  at  any  other 
time  Matilda  would  have  begun 
to  quarrel  directly ;  but  with  her 
good  resolves  fresh  in  mind  she 
began  to  coax  them  to  come  off 
the  hay,  and  show  her  how  to 
make  bossy  stand  on  his  feet. 

Her  tone  was  so  pleasant  that 
they  came  at  once.,  wondering  at 
the  change;  and  for  the  next  half 


MATILDA'S  CONSCIENCE.          67 

hour  they  had  a  merry  time  to- 
gether. 

Then^  she  returned  to  the  house 
with  the  haby  mounted  on  her 
hack. 

When  her  father  came  home  to 
supper,  he  evidently  expected  to 
find  her  cross  and  impatient  at 
having  been  kept  from  accompa- 
nying her  companions  to  the 
grove.  He  heard  her  singing  be- 
fore he  reached  the  gate,  and  was 
not  a  little  delighted  to  find  his 
wife  sitting  at  her  sewing,  and 


68  THE    PEARL   OF    PEACE. 

Matilda  putting  the  last  dishes  on 
the  table  for  tea. 

"  Well,  now,  this  is  as  it  ought 
to  be,"  he  said  heartily,  as  they 
drew  their  chairs  about  the  table. 
"  Wife,  you  said  you  wanted  a 
new  gown,  and  here's  money  to 
buy  cloth  for  you  and  Matilda, 
too.  I'm  always  ready  with  the 
cash  for  good  daughters." 

A  few  hours  later,  when  the 
young  girl  retired  to  her  bed,  she 
said  to  herself,  —  "It  isn't  so  very 
hard  to  do  right  after  all.  How 


MATILDA'S  CONSCIENCE.          69 

pleased  father  was.  Now  if  I  only 
knew  that  Sallie  wouldn't  say  any- 
thing about  what  I  told  her,  I 
should  be  happier  than  I  have 
been  for  a  month." 

"  I  wish  Hatty  had  been  there 
to  remind  her  that  she  ought  to 
thank  her  heavenly  Father  for 
help  to  keep  her  resolutions,  else 
she  could  not  have  done  one  right 
thing.  As  it  was,  Hatty  was  giv- 
ing uncle  Oliver  and  Esther  an 
account  of  her  call  at  Mrs.  Mun- 
son's ;  and  they  were  thinking,  — 


70  THE    PEARL    OF     PEACE. 

"  What  a  blessing  our  dear  girl 
is  to  us,  and  how  lonely  our 
cottage  would  be  without  her." 

The  nuts,  a  peck  of  each,  were 
safely  stored  in  the  attic  to  dry, 
before  the  old  man  came  home 
to  supper ;  and  then  Hatty  had 
time  to  run  to  a  neighbor's  with 
the  vest  Esther  had  just  completed. 

In-  the  evening  they  had  family- 
prayers,  a  service  the  two  girls 
commenced  by  themselves,  but 
which  uncle  Oliver  soon  joined ;  and 
then  after  Hatty's  account  of  her 


MATILDA'S  CONSCIENCE.          71 

afternoon,  they  retired  to  rest  for 
the  night,  the  blessing  which  God 
has  promised  the  peace-makers 
resting  upon  them.  i, 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE    QUARREL    SETTLED. 

jJT  was  scarcely  a  week  after 
the  nutting  party,  when  one 
morning  Sallie  was  missing 
from  school.  This  was  so 
unusual  that  the  teacher  inquired 
of  the  scholars  whether  any  of 
them  knew  why  she  was  not  in 
her  place. 

But    no   one    had   seen   her   that 

(72) 


THE     QUARREL    SETTLED.  73 

day ;  and  as  her  brother  Edward 
was  also  absent,  nothing  could  be 
ascertained  till  night. 

When  the  teacher  called,  she 
found  the  family  of  Mrs.  Munson 
greatly  afflicted.  Three  of  the 
children  were  in  bed  with  fever, 
and  the  widow  was  scarcely  able 
to  drag  herself  about. 

"  I've  had  trouble  on  trouble,5' 
she  said,  sighing.  "  Month  after 
month,  for  five  long  years,  I've 
stood  at  the  door  where  I  could  see 
the  ocean,  and  watched  for  the 


74:  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

ship  that  never  came.  I've  laid 
one  child  beneath  the  sod,  and  now 
it's  likely  three  more  will  follow. 
Still  I  can  say,  — '  Thou  wilt  keep 
him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind 
is  stayed  on  thee,  because  he 
trusteth  in  thee/  " 

At  school,  both  Edward  and  Sal- 
lie  were  greatly  missed,  the  first 
question  in  the  morning  being : 
"  Have  you  heard  from  Mrs.  Mun- 
son's.  Is  Sallie  better?" 

Hatty  went  about  her  studies 
with  a  sad  countenance.  She  was 


THE    QUARREL     SETTLED.  75 

much  afraid  that  her  friend  would 
die  without  having  given  her  heart 
to  the  Saviour. 

One  day,  when  she  was  going 
home  from  school,  she  passed  two 
boys  who  were  quarrelling  terribly 
about  a  book  one  of  them  had 
lost. 

The  young  girl  lingered  near 
them  for  a  few  moments,  wishing, 
yet  scarcely  daring  to  speak.  At 
last  she  said,  — 

"  Oh  Ethel !  how  can  you  quar- 
rel when  one  of  your  companions 


76  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

is  so  very  sick?  Think  if  you  were 
to  be  taken  down  with  the  fever, 
how  sorry  you  would  be  that  you 
had  called  any  one  such  hard 
names." 

The  boy  hung  his  head,  some- 
what ashamed,  but  then  said, — 

<;  It's  too  bad  to  lose  a  new 
book.  I'm  sure  Bill  took  it  home 
with  him." 

"I  didn't.  I  haven't  seen  it 
since  Ethel  showed  it  to  me  at  re- 
cess. I  don't  see  why  he  need  to 
lay  it  to  me." 


THE     QUARREL    SETTLED.  77 

"  At  recess  ? "  murmured  Ethel. 
"  Oh  dear !  Bill,  wait  a  minute." 

He  was  off  without  a  word,  and 
in  ten  minutes  more  he  came  run- 
ning at  full  speed,  shouting,  — 

"  I've  found  it.  Here  'tis,  all 
safe.  I  left  it  on  the  rock  when 
we  were  playing  ball." 

"And  now  you're  sorry  you 
charged  Bill  with  carrying  it 
home,"  exclaimed  Hatty,  eagerly. 

"  Yes,  I  am.  As  soon  as  he 
spoke  about  recess  I  thought  where 
I  laid  it. 


78  THE    PEARL    OF   PEACE. 

"  Don't  you  think  it  would  be  a 
good  plan  to  ask  him  to  forgive 
you  I "  inquired  the  little  peace- 
maker, drawing  him  aside. 

He  made  a  wry  face  and  hesi- 
tated. 

"  You  know,  you  said  some 
awful  hard  things,"  she  urged.  "  I 
thought  then  he  was  pretty  good- 
tempered  not  to  take  offense." 

She  looked  in  his  face  so  ea- 
gerly that  he  laughed  outright. 

"Well,"  he  said,  "for  your 
sake.  I  will.  You  always  have 


'  Look  here,  Bill,  Hatty  thinks  I  ought  to  ask  your  pardon.' 

vol.  vr,  P.  9. 


THE     QUARREL    SETTLED.  79 

everything  your  own  way,  you 
know*" 

"  Look  here,  Bill,"  he  exclaimed, 
walking  back  to  the  fence  where 
his  companion  stood,  and  holding 
out  his  hand,  "  I  was  wrathy  and 
called  you  names  you  didn't  de- 
serve. Hatty  thinks  I  ought  to 
ask  your  pardon." 

"  Oh,  Ethel !  don't  tell  him  that. 
You  owned  you  were  sorry  first." 

"  So  I  am ;  •  and  if  Bill  will  say 
quits,  I'll  do  him  as  .good  a  turn 
some  other  time. " 


80  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

"All  right,"  said  Bill,  giving 
his  hand. 

"Here,  Hatty,"  cried  Ethel, 
"  you  must  shake  hands  too. 
You're  better  than  Squire  Morse 
to  settle  up  quarrels.'* 

She  laughed  and  blushed,  giv- 
ing her  little  hand  first  to  one, 
and  then  to  the  other. 

"  Now  promise  me,"  she  said, 
"  that  you'll  never  quarrel  again." 

"  That's  pretty  steep.  I  wouldn't 
dare  venture,"  cried  Ethel,  grow- 
ing very  red. 


THE     QUARREL    SETTLED.  81 

i 

"  Oh  !  "  urged  Hatty,  "  I  always 
thought  you  two  the  bravest  boys 
in  school.  Such  good  scholars 
ought  to  be  brave." 

"  I  promise  to  try  to  be  peace- 
able," answered  Bill. 

"  And  I'll  agree  to  think  of  you, 
Hatty  Maynard,  when  I  want  to 
call  hard  names.  I  guess  that  will 
cool  off  the  hot  blood." . 

"  You  must  think  of  somebody 
better  than  I  am,"  she  urged, 
growing  very  serious.  "  Don't  you 
recollect  what  the  minister  said, 


82  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

about  living  in  peace  ?  And  the 
Bible  tells  us,  to  { follow  peace 
with  all  men,'  to  '  follow  after  the 
things  that  make  for  peace.' 
Esther  says  that  means,  we  must 
be  kind  and  affectionate,  one  to 
another ;  we  must  show  our  com- 
panions that  we  love  them ;  and 
if  we  ever  do  wrong,  we  must 
ask  forgiveness  as  you  did,  Ethel. 
I  think  Bill  was  real  generous  to 
forgive  so  quick ;  but  I  knew  he 
would,  if  you  told  him  how  sorry 
you  were." 


THE     QUARREL     SETTLED.  83 

"  Come  on,  Bill,"  exclaimed 
Ethel,  laughing.  "  I  guess  we 
sha'n't  be  fighting  again  in  a 
hurry,  after  all  the  compliments 
we've  had  to-day." 

The  next  morning,  when  Hatty 
went  down  from  her  unfurnished 
attic  to  make  a  fire  in  the  stove, 
she  found  a  string  of  nice,  fresh 
fish  laid  on  the  kitchen  table. 
There  was  a  small  piece  of  soiled 
paper  tied  to  the  end  of  the  string, 
on  which  was  written  in  a  school 
boy's  hand,  — 


84:  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

"  For  Hatty  Maynard,  peace- 
maker to  the  town  of  Shrews- 
bury ;  from  Ethel  and  Bill." 

"  '  Blessed  are  the  peace-makers, 
for  they  shall  be  called  the  chil- 
dren of  God/ "  repeated  Hatty, 
tears  gushing  to  her  eyes.  "  I  do 
love  to  make  peace ;  and  I  may 
call  myself  his  child." 

She  was  so  full  of  joy  that  she 
ran  up  the  steep  stairs  again  to 
her  low  couch,  and  there  kneeling 
down,  she  asked  her  heavenly 
Father  to  make  her  indeed  his 


THE     QUARREL    SETTLED. 


85 


own  child,  and  by  and  by  to  take 
her  to  dwell  with  him  in  heaven, 
where  all  was  peace,  and  love, 
and  joy,  forever  and  ever. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE    SICK    GIRL. 

|AY  after  day  went  by  and 
still  Sallie  lay  in  bed.  Ed- 
ward and  his  brother  were 
able  to  sit  up  for  a  few 
hours,  and  take  a  little  broth ; 
but  their  sister  was  very,  very  ill. 
One  afternoon  a  neighbor  knocked 
at  Mr.  Maynard's  door  and  asked 
for  Hatty. 

"I    have     been     watching     with 

(86) 


THE    SICK    GIRL.  87 

poor  Sallie  Munson,"  she  said. 
"  The  widow  is  clear  worn  out ; 
and  I  couldn't  refuse.  Sallie  has 
come  to  her  senses.  She  thinks 
she's  going  to  die,  and  she  wants 
to  see  Hatty." 

u  Why  don't  they  send  for  the 
minister1?"  asked 'uncle  Oliver. 

"  They  have  sent ;  but  he  wont 
be  at  home  till  to-morrow." 

Esther's  countenance  changed, 
and  at  last  she  said, — 

"  I'm  afraid  to  have  sister  go ; 
the  fever  is  very  contagious." 


88  THE    PEARL    OF     PEACE. 

"Well,  I  wont  deny  that;  but 
perhaps  if  she  ties  a  bag  of  cam- 
fire  round  her  neck,  she  wont 
catch  it,  I've  got  one  round  mine 
this  blessed  minute  ;  and  I've  made 
Sarah  Ann  wear  one  ever  since 
the  fever  come  into  town." 

"  Hatty'll  want  to  go,"  suggested 
uncle  Oliver.  "  'Twill  be  just  like 
her  not  to  think  a  mite  of  her- 
self. It's  'stonishing  what  harum- 
scarum  create  rs  girls  be.  They 
don't  valley  their  own  lives  a  mite, 
if  they  want  to  do  anything." 


THE    SICK    GIRL.  89 

"  Well,  if  you  just  heard  Sallie 
a  calling,  « Hatty,  dear  Hatty,  do 
dome,  I'm  going  to  die.  Come 
and  tell  me  what  I  must  do/  you'd 
say  'twas  heart-rending." 

"I  suppose  she  will  go,"  faltered 
Esther,  growing  very  white.  "  111 
tell  her  as  soon  as  she  comes 
home  from  school." 

"  Tell  her,  and  let  her  judge 
for  herself,"  muttered  the  old  man. 
"  I'd  rather  give  every  cent,  I'm 
worth  in  the  world  than  to  venter 
her  there;  but  God  can  keep  her 


90  THE   PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

from  all  harm.  She's  a  good  girl, 
Hatty  is,  and  knows  a  sight  more'n 
some  folks."  v 

Esther  did  tell  Hatty,  and  the 
consequence  was  that  she  went; 
but  not  until  she  had  kneeled  by 
her  straw  couch  once  more  to  ask 
God  to  bless  her  endeavors  to  do 
Sallie  good.  She  did  not  think  of 
herself.  She  felt  sure  her  heavenly 
Father  would  take  care  of  her. 
If  he  wished  her  to  live  longer, 
he  would  preserve  her  from  the 
fever.  If  he  meant  to  call  her 


THE    SICK    GIRL.  91 

home  to  heaven  now,  she  was 
ready  to  go.  In  her  soul  all  was 
peace. 

But  for  her  dear  companion,  she 
was  troubled.  As  she  hurried 
along,  she  thought  how  they  had 
loved  each  other;  that  never  a 
word  of  unkindness  had  separated 
them ;  and  she  put  up  a  little 
prayer  to  God  that  if  consistent 
with  his  will,  Sallie  might  be 
spared  to  her  mother  for  many 
years. 

Mrs.   Munson    saw    her    running 


92 


THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 


toward  the  house,  and  met  her  at 
the  door. 

Poor  Mrs.  Munson !  how  hard 
during  all  these  weeks  of  anxious 
care,  had  she  tried  to  say,  "  It 
is  the  Lord;  let  him  do  with  his 
own,  what  seemeth  to  him  best." 

"Sallie  wants  you  badly,  dear," 
she  said,  after  kissing  the  child; 
"  but  aren't  you  afraid  you'll  take 
the  fever?  You  know  Cynthia 
came  down  with  -It  yesterday." 

"No,  I   hadn't   heard." 

Hatty's    chin     quivered,   and     the 


THE    SICK    GIRL.  93 

widow  noticing  her  agitation  said 
softly,  — 

"  I  wouldn't  urge  you  for  any 
thing.  The  minister'll  be  home 
to-morrow.  May  be  Sallie'll  forget 
it  again." 

"  Hatty !  why  don't  Hatty  come  T 
called  out  the  sick  child. 

"I'll  go  now,  ma'am.  Is  any 
body  with  her  ?  " 

"Nobody   but  Edward." 

"Will  you  please  call  him  out? 
I'd  rather  see  her  alone." 

Hatty    was    only    thirteen    years 


94:  THE   PEARL    OF   PEACE. 

old;  and  you  will  not  be  surprised 
that  when  she  saw  her  companion's 
pale  face  and  wild,  protruded 
eyes,  her  heart  grew  faint  with- 
in her.  She  sank  into  a  chair, 
and  covered  her  face  with  her 
hands. 

"  I  knew  you'd  come,  I  knew 
you'd  be  sorry  for  me,"  began 
Sallie,  talking  with  feverish  ex- 
citement. "  Did  mother  tell  you  I 
am  going  to  die  1 " 

"  No  one  but  God  can  know 
that,"  murmured  Hatty,  slowly  ris- 


THE    SICK    GIRL.  95 

ing  and  approaching  the  'betl. 
"Esther  told  me  you  wanted  to 
see  me,  and  I've  come." 

"  Yes ;  I  called  you  all  night  ; 
but  nobody  would  go.  I'm  afraid, 
Hatty;  I  don't  want  to  die.  Oh, 
I  wish  I  was  good." 

"  The  Bible  says  nobody  ever 
was  good  enough  to  go  to  heaven." 

"  What  do  you  mean  1  Tell  me 
quick ! " 

"  I  can't  explain  very  well.  I 
mean  that  if  we're  ever  so  good, 
as  you  call  it,  we  couldn't  get 


96  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

into  heaven  without  Jesus.  Our 
goodness  is  badness  in  God's  sight, 
because  he  is  so  much  holier  than 
we  are ;  but  if  we  love  Jesus,  for 
his  sake,  God  will  forgive  our 
sins." 

"  How  can  I  love  him  ] "  Moth- 
er has  been  telling  me  I  must  ac- 
cept him  as  my  Saviour,  but  I 
don't  know  how.  Oh !  I  wish 

somebody   would   tell   me !     I'm  dy- 

• 
ing,  and  I  can't  find  out  anything." 

"  Sallie,  listen  to  me  a  minute. 
In  my  last  Sabbath  school  paper 


THE    SICK    GIRL.  97 

was  an^  account  of  a  little  heathen 
girl,  who  felt  as  you  do.  She 
wanted  to  love  Christ,  but  she 
didn't  know  how  to  give  her  heart 
to  him.  The  missionaries  talked 
to  her  and  prayed  with  her,  but 
she  only  cried  the  more.  At  last 
one  said,  {  Jesus  never  sinned ;  but 
you  are  a  great  sinner.' 

"  '  Yes,  yes  !      I  understand  that/      * 

"  '  Well,  you  have  offended  God, 

and   he   has    threatened    to    punish 

you ;    but   now    Jesus    promises    to 

receive     the    punishment     for    you, 


98  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

and  for  that  he  died  on  the 
cross/ 

"  '  Oh,  yes  !  yes  !  yes  ! '  cried  the 
heathen  girl.  '  I  understand  now. 
I  must  make  a  bargain  with  Je- 
sus. I  will  give  him  all  my  bad- 
ness, and  he  will  give  me  all  his 
goodness.  Oh,  I  see!  I  see!!  fl  do 
love  him.  Oh,  how  good  he  is!" 

Sallie  folded  her  hands  on  her 
breast  and  closed  her  eyes,  though 
her  lips  moved  as  if  she  were 
praying.  Presently  she  said  softly, 
"  I  understand  now,  Hatty ;  but 


THE    SICK    GIRL.  99 

will  Jesus*  make  a  bargain  with 
me?" 

"  Yes,  yes,  he  will ;  he  says  so 
in  the  Bible." 

"  Don't  stay  any  longer,  Hatty  ; 
but  come  again  if  Esther  will  let 
you.  I'm  going  to  pray  now. 
Shut  the  door  tight." 

Hatty  walked  through  the  kitch- 
en without  speaking.  Mrs.  Mun- 
son  had  sat  near  the  door  and  had 
heard  every  word".  She  asked  God 
to  bless  his  own  truth  to  her  dear, 
dying  daughter. 


100  THE   PEARL    OF     PEACE. 

It  was  scarcely  HgWt  the  next 
morning  before  Abner,  Sallie's  old- 
er brother,  knocked  at  the  door 
of  uncle  Oliver's  house. 

"  I've  come  with  a  message  for 
Hatty,"  he  explained.  "  She's 
happy  now,  and  sings  all  the 
verses  she  can  think  of.  She 
wants  me  to  say,  she's  made  a 
bargain  with  Jesus,  and  she  isn't 
afraid  to  die." 

"  Tell  her  I'll  go  and  see  her 
before  school,"  Hatty  answered,  her 
eyes  full  of  joyful  tears. 


THE    SICK    GIRL.  101 

She  did  go,  but  the  sick  girl 
was  quietly  asleep,  and,  more  than 
this,  the  Doctor  said  her  symp- 
toms were  a  great  deal  better. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    PEACEFUL    DEATH. 

jjN  three  days  Sallie  was  out 
of  danger,  and  from  this 
time  she  recovered  rapidly. 
The  minister  and  her  Sab- 
bath school  teacher  visited  her 
often,  but  she  wondered  Hatty  did 
not  come.  At  last,  one  day  when 
she  was  able  to  sit  up,  her  mother 
told  her  Hatty  had  taken  the 

(102) 


THE   PEACEFUL    DEATH.  103 

fever  the  day  she  visited  her,  and 
now  she  was  very  sick. 

"  Who  will  take  care  of  her  ? " 
asked  Sallie,  beginning  to  cry. 

"  They  sent  for  her  aunt,  who 
has  never  been  near  them  since 
their  mother  died,  and  she's  there 
now.  She  has  money,  and  she 
says  the  poor  child  shall  not  want 
for  anything  that  money  will 
buy." 

"Oh,  mother!  to  think  that  I 
have  killed  her !  I  feel  almost 
sure  she  will  die.  She's  so  good, 


104  THE   PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

I  used  to  tell  the  girls,  she  ought 
to  go  to  heaven ;  but  it  is  dread- 
ful that  I  killed  her." 

Sallie  sobbed  so  violently  that 
her  mother  became  alarmed ;  but 
for  some  time  she  tried  in  vain  to 
soothe  her. 

"  They'll  all  blame  me.  I  never 
shall  dare  to  see  uncle  Oliver  or 
Esther  again.  They  can't  live 
without  her.  Oh,  oh  dear !  I 
wish  she  never  had  come.  Moth- 
er, do  please  go  over  there  quick, 
and  tell  them  how  very  sorry  I 


THE    PEACEFUL    DEATH.  105 

am.  Hatty  taught  me  to  love  the 
Saviour,  and  how  can  I  let  her 
die  ?  " 

To  please  her  child  the  widow 
went.  Hatty  lay  in  the  bedroom 
adjoining  the  sitting-room,  which 
was  usually  occupied  by  uncle 
Oliver.  Close  by  her  side  sat 
Esther,  looking  pale  and  wan  as 
if  months  instead  of  hours  of 
racking  anxiety  had  passed  over 
her.  Mrs.  Foster  was  preparing 
some  medicine  near  the  window, 
while  the  old  man,  with  a  heart 


^  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

almost  broken  with  sorrow,  was 
cutting  up  wood  at  the  side  of  the 
house  farthest  from  the  chamber. 

As  the  widow  entered  the  room, 
Hatty  turned  her  eyes  to  the  door 
and  recognized  her. 

"Are  you  in  much  pain]"  she 
asked,  greatly  moved. 

"  Jesus   helps   me   bear   it   all." 

This   was   said   with   a   gasp. 

*'  She  never  complains,"  faltered 
Esther,  with  quivering  lips. 

"  Sallie,  how  is  she  ]  "  murmured 
the  sick  girl. 


THE     PEACEFUL    DEATH.  107 

"  Much  better,  if  she  were  not 
so  distressed  about  you." 

"  I  am  safe  with  Jesus.  He 
gives  me  perfect  peace." 

Her   aunt   began   to    weep. 

"  Don't  cry,  dear  aunty,"  she 
said  caressingly.  "  You  will  come 
too;  you  and  Esther,  and  uncle 
Oliver.  We  shall  all  be  there. 
Mother  will  be  there,  too,  for  Es- 
ther says  she  used  to  pray." 

She  paused  for  a  moment,  quite 
exhausted ;  but  presently  looked  up 
with  a  smile  and  added,  "  I  shall 


108  THE   PEARL   OF    PEACE. 

see  Mr.  Munson  and  tell  him  about 
Sallie.  Wont  he  be  glad?" 

The  widow  was  quite  overcome 
but  tried  to  control  herself. 

"  Tell  him,"  she  said,  "  that  I'm 
almost  through.  I'm  trying  to  bear 
his  loss  with  patience.  Tell  him 
God  has  been  true  to  his  prom- 
ise:  'As  thy  day  is  so  shall  thy 
strength  be.'  I  trust  we  shall 
meet  soon  and  never  be  parted 
again." 

She  stooped  silently  over  the 
sick  child,  kissed  her,  and  was 


THE    PEACEFUL    DEATH.  109 

going  out  when  Hatty  whis- 
pered, — 

"  Tell  Sallie  good-bye.  If  s  all 
peace  here,"  laying  her  hand  on 
her  heart.  "  I'm  not  afraid  to 
trust  my  Saviour." 

Mrs.  Foster  followed  her  to  the 
door.  *"  It's  a  scene  I  never  shall 
forget,"  she  said,  sobbing.  "  Such 
a  lesson  as  that  child  has  taught 
me.  Oh,  if  I'd  only  done  my 
duty,  she  might  have  lived  for 
years." 

"Jesus   loves   her  and  wants  her 


110  THE    PEARL    OF   PEACE. 

with  him,"  answered  Mrs.  Mun- 
son.  "  You  know  he  prayed  his 
Father  that  those  who  loved  him 
might  be  with  him  where  he  is, 
that  they  may  behold  his  glory. 
Think  how  happy  she  will  be." 

As  hours  passed  on,  that  room 
became  almost  like  heaven*  An 
indescribable  expression  of  peace 
was  stamped  on  the  pale  features. 
Heaven  had  indeed  come  down  into 
her  own  heart  For  hours  she  lay 
in  a  kind  of  rapture.  Once  or 
twice  she  sung  a  part  of  her  fa- 


THE    PEACEFUL    DEATH.  Ill 

vorite    hymn,    repeating    over    and 
over   the   lines, 

"No  words  can   express, 
The  sweet  comfort   and  peace 
Of  a  soul  in  its   earliest  love." 

Through  this  day  and  the  next 
the  house  was  thronged  with 
schoolmates  and  friends,  come  to 
take  a  last  look  of  one  so  dear. 
Matilda  and  Cynthia,  Ethel  and 
Bill,  pressed  forward  to  thank  her 
^*for  the  example  she  had  always 
set  them. 


112  THE   PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

"  What  shall  we  do,"  cried 
Ethel,  sobbing  aloud,  "  when  our 
peace-maker  has  gone  I  " 

With  a  heavenly  smile  she  re- 
plied, "  You  shall  be  peace -maker. 
See  how  God  keeps  his  promise 
to  me.  '  They  shall  be  called  the 
children  of  God/ 

"  Ethel,"  she  went  on,  "  you've 
always  been  like  a  real  brother  to 
me.  For  my  sake  will  you  be 
kind  to  Esther?" 

"Yes,   I  win." 

"And     I     too,"      sobbed      Bill; 


THE  PEACEFUL  DEATH.  113 

"  but    we    shall     miss     you    dread- 
fully." 

"  Give   your  hearts  to  Jesus,  and 

'twont     be     long    before    we    shal] 

.  i 
meet   again." 

The  end  came  at  last.  Hatty's 
sufferings  were  nearly  over.  She 
lay  propped  up  with  pillows,  her 
head  resting  against  her  aunt's 
breast.  Esther  sat  near,  holding 
her  hand,  which  she  continually 
covered  with  kisses.  Uncle  Oliver 
sat  in  his  arm-chair,  at  the  foot 
of  the  bed,  his  face  shaded  with 


THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

his  hands,  his  breast  heaving  con- 
vulsively. 

The  minister  stood  where  Hat- 
ty's eyes  rested  on  him.  He  was 
reading  from  the  twenty-third 
Psalm :  "  The  Lord  is  my  Shep- 
herd, I  shall  not  want.  .  .  Yea, 
though  I  walk  through  the  valley 
of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will 
fear  no  evil,  for  thou  art  with 
me ;  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they 
comfort  me." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  murmured  the  white 
lips.  "  He  is  with  me.  I'm  not 


THE  PEACEFUL  DEATH.  115 

afraid.  He  has  pardoned  all  my 
sins,  and  washed  me  in  the  foun- 
tain filled  with  blood  ;  I'm  —  going 
to  be  —  with  him  —  forever,  —  I'm 
so  —  so  happy  !  " 

She  lay  so  quiet  that  all  feared 
her  soul  had  fled  away;  but  pres- 
ently, with  a  bright  smile,  she 
murmured,  — 

"I  —  I'm  going  now  —  good-bye 
—  all.  He  gives  me  peace  —  per- 
fect— peace ;  "  and  then  fell  sweet- 
ly asleep  in  Jesus.  "  He  giveth 
his  beloved  sleep,"  repeated  the 


116  THE    PEARL    OF    PEACE. 

kind  minister.  "  Look  at  her  now ! 
The  peace  of  God  which  passeth 
all  understanding  dwells  in  her 
now  and  forevermore." 

The  next  Sabbath  her  body  was 
carried  to  the  church,  where  a 
sermon  was  preached  from  her  fa- 
vorite text,  —  "  Blessed  are  the 
peace-makers  for  they  shall  be 
called  the  children  of  God." 

The  clergyman  reminded  the 
children  of  her  who  had  so  truly 
and  earnestly  been  a  peace-maker, 
and  entreated  them  to  follow  her 


THE    PEACEFUL    DEATH.  117 

example,  that  they  might  have 
peace  in  life  and  triumph  in  death. 

The  influence  of  Hatty  was  long 
felt.  By  her  entreaties  on  her  dy- 
ing bed,  her  aunt  and  uncle  Oli- 
ver, long  estranged,  were  brought 
together,  and  ever  after  lived  as 
she  would  have  had  them,  caring 
tenderly  for  poor  Esther,  till  her 
own  peaceful  death,  two  years 
later. 

My  dear  little  reader,  will  you 
not  try  to  be  a  peace-maker^ 


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